U.S. patent number 6,804,581 [Application Number 09/996,419] was granted by the patent office on 2004-10-12 for automated endoscope system for optimal positioning.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Computer Motion, Inc.. Invention is credited to Modjtaba Ghodoussi, Keith P. Laby, Amante A. Mangaser, Darrin R. Uecker, Yulun Wang.
United States Patent |
6,804,581 |
Wang , et al. |
October 12, 2004 |
Automated endoscope system for optimal positioning
Abstract
A robotic system that moves a surgical instrument in response to
the actuation of a control panel that can be operated by the
surgeon. The robotic system has an end effector that is adapted to
hold a surgical instrument such as an endoscope. The end effector
is coupled to a robotic arm assembly which can move the endoscope
relative to the patient. The system includes a computer which
controls the movement of the robotic arm in response to input
signals received from the control panel. The robotic system is
mounted to a cart which can be wheeled to and from an operating
table. The cart has a clamping mechanism which attaches the cart to
the table. The system also contains a spring loaded mount plate
that allows the robotic arm to be rotated and adjusted relative to
the cart and the patient. Both the robotic arm and the control
panel are encapsulated by protective bags that prevent the system
from being contaminated.
Inventors: |
Wang; Yulun (Goleta, CA),
Laby; Keith P. (Santa Barbara, CA), Uecker; Darrin R.
(Santa Barbara, CA), Mangaser; Amante A. (Goleta, CA),
Ghodoussi; Modjtaba (Santa Barbara, CA) |
Assignee: |
Computer Motion, Inc.
(Sunnyvale, CA)
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Family
ID: |
27485504 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/996,419 |
Filed: |
November 28, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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732015 |
Oct 16, 1996 |
5878193 |
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481926 |
Jun 6, 1995 |
5657429 |
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167704 |
Dec 15, 1993 |
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072982 |
Jun 3, 1993 |
5524180 |
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005604 |
Jan 19, 1993 |
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927801 |
Aug 10, 1992 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
700/251; 600/101;
600/109; 600/117; 600/118; 600/126; 606/139; 606/19; 606/46;
700/245; 700/257; 700/259; 700/264 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
34/70 (20160201); A61B 2017/00199 (20130101); A61B
2017/00212 (20130101); A61B 2017/00973 (20130101); A61B
2034/2059 (20160201); A61B 2034/743 (20160201); A61B
46/10 (20160201); A61B 2034/742 (20160201) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
19/00 (20060101); A61B 19/08 (20060101); A61B
17/00 (20060101); G05B 019/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;700/251,257,259,264,245,247,248 ;600/101,109,118,117,126
;606/46,139,19 ;901/12,31,41,47,8,2,30,36,38 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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U 9204118.3 |
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Jul 1992 |
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DE |
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0239409 |
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Sep 1987 |
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EP |
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0424687 |
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May 1991 |
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EP |
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0776738 |
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Jun 1997 |
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EP |
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WO 91/04711 |
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Apr 1991 |
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WO |
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WO 93/13916 |
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Jul 1993 |
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WO |
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|
Primary Examiner: Knight; Anthony
Assistant Examiner: Pham; Thomas
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend&Townsend&Crew LLP
Barrish, Esq.; Mark D.
Parent Case Text
RELATION TO PREVIOUSLY FILED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 08/481,926 filed on Jun. 6, 1995 now U.S. Pat.
No. 5,657,429, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 08/167,704, filed on Dec. 15, 1993, now
abandoned, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 08/072,982 filed on Jun. 3, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,180,
which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/005,604 filed Jan. 19, 1993, now abandoned, which was a
Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
07/927,801, filed Aug. 10, 1992, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system that allows a user to control a movement of an
endoscope, the endoscope being located within first coordinate
system that has a left-right axis and an up-down axis which are
orthogonal to each other and to a longitudinal axis of the
endoscope, comprising: a first actuator located within a second
coordinate system; a second actuator that is coupled to said first
actuator and located in the second coordinate system, said first
and second actuators being capable of moving the endoscope; an
input device that can receive a command from the user to move the
endoscope along the up-down axis in the first coordinate system; a
controller that receives the user command and transforms the
movement of the endoscope in the first coordinate system to a
movement of the endoscope in the second coordinate system, and
provides output signals to move said first and second actuators in
the second coordinate system so that the endoscope moves along the
up-down axis of the first coordinate system regardless of the
orientation of the second coordinate system with respect to the
first coordinate system.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third actuator
coupled to said second actuator and located within the second
coordinate system.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an end effector that
is coupled to said controller and spins the endoscope.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said input device is a foot
pedal.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second actuators
include electric motors.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first position
sensor coupled to said first actuator and a second position sensor
coupled to said second actuator.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller transforms the
movement of the endoscope in the first coordinate system to
movement of the endoscope in the second coordinate system in
accordance with a plurality of transformation equations said first
and second actuators.
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a table that is
coupled to said first and second actuators.
9. A medical system that can be controlled by a user, comprising: a
first actuator located within a first coordinate system; a second
actuator that is coupled to said first actuator and located in the
first coordinate system; an endoscope that is coupled to said first
and second actuators, said endoscope being located within an second
coordinate system that has a left-right axis and an up-down axis
which are orthogonal to each other, and to a longitudinal axis of
the endoscope; an input device that can receive a command from the
user to move the endoscope along the up-down axis in the second
coordinate system; and, a controller that receives the user command
and transforms the movement of the endoscope in the second
coordinate system to a movement of the endoscope in the first
coordinate system, and provides output signals to move said first
and second actuators in the first coordinate system so that the
endoscope moves along the up-down axis of the second coordinate
system regardless of the orientation of the first coordinate system
with resnect to the second coordinate system.
10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a third actuator
coupled to said second actuator and located within the first
coordinate system.
11. The system of claim 9, further comprising an end effector that
is coupled to said controller and spins the endoscope.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein said input device is a foot
pedal include electric motors.
13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a first position
sensor coupled to said first actuator and a second position sensor
coupled to said second actuator.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein said controller transforms the
movement of the endoscope in the first coordinate system to
movement of the endoscope in the second coordinate system in
accordance with a plurality of transformation equations.
15. The system of claim 9, further comprising a table that is
coupled to said first and second actuators.
16. A method for controlling a movement of an endoscope,
comprising: inputting a command to move an endoscope along an
up-down axis of a first coordinate system, wherein the up-down axis
and a left-right axis are orthogonal to each other and a
longitudinal axis of the endoscope; transforming the command to
move the endoscope in the first coordinate system to a movement in
a second coordinate system; and sending output signals to move a
first actuator and a second actuator in the second coordinate
system so that the endoscope moves along the up-down axis of the
first coordinate system regardless of the orientation of the second
coordinate system with respect to the first coordinate system.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the endoscope is spun.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the transformation between the
first coordinate system and the second coordinate system is
performed in accordance with a plurality of transformation
equations.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the endoscope pivots about a
pivot point formed at an incision of a patient.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robotic system for remotely
controlling the position of a surgical instrument.
2. Description of Related Art
Endoscopes typically contain a lens that is coupled to a visual
display by a fiber optic cable. Such a system allows the user to
remotely view an image in front of the scope. Endoscopes are
commonly used in a surgical procedure known as laparoscopy, which
involves inserting the endoscope into the patient through a small
incision in the abdomen. The endoscope allows the surgeon to
internally view the patient without being in a direct line of sight
with the object. The use of an endoscope typically reduces the size
of the incision needed to perform a surgical procedure.
Endoscopes are commonly used to assist the surgeon in removing the
gall bladder of a patient. Because the surgeon typically requires
both hands to remove a gall bladder, the endoscope must be held and
operated by a assistant. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon
must frequently instruct the assistant to move the endoscope within
the patient. Such a method can be time consuming as the surgeon may
have to relay a series of instructions until the assistant has
positioned the endoscope in the proper location. Additionally, the
assistant may be unable to consistently hold the instrument in a
fixed position, resulting in a moving image. This is particularly
true for surgical procedures that extend over a long period of
time.
There is presently a system marketed by Leonard Medical Inc. which
mechanically holds an endoscope. The Leonard Medical system is an
articulated mechanism which has a plurality of pneumatically
powered joints that hold the endoscope in a fixed position. To move
the endoscope, the pneumatic powered joints must be initially
released into a relaxed condition. The surgeon or assistant then
moves the scope and reactivates the pneumatic system. Although the
Leonard system holds the endoscope in one position, the system
requires the surgeon or assistant to constantly deactivate/activate
the pneumatics and manually move the scope. Such a system
interrupts the surgery process and increases the time of the
surgical procedure. It would be desirable to provide a system that
allows the surgeon to directly and efficiently control the movement
of an endoscope.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a robotic system that moves a surgical
instrument in response to the actuation of a control panel that can
be operated by the surgeon. The robotic system has an end effector
that is adapted to hold a surgical instrument such as an endoscope.
The end effector is coupled to a robotic arm assembly which can
move the endoscope relative to the patient. The system includes a
computer which controls the movement of the robotic arm in response
to input signals from the control panel.
The robotic system is mounted to a cart which can be wheeled to and
from an operating table. The cart has a clamping mechanism which
attaches the cart to the table. The system also contains a spring
loaded mount plate that allows the robotic arm to be rotated and
adjusted relative to the cart and the patient. Both the robotic arm
and the control panel are encapsulated by protective bags that
prevent the system from being contaminated. The bags are removable
and allow the system to be reused without having to scrub and
decontaminate the arm or control panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become
more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after
reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying
drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a robotic system of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the robotic system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top view of an end effector used to hold an
endoscope;
FIG. 4 is a top view of a foot pedal of the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the foot pedal of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a schematic of a computer of the robotic system shown in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a schematic of the endoscope oriented in a second
coordinate system;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system;
FIG. 9 is a graph showing the incremental movement of the robotic
arm assembly;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the robotic arm assembly
showing actuators coupled to clutch and drive train assemblies;
FIG. 11 is a side view of the system showing a protective sterile
bag which encapsulates the robotic arm assembly;
FIG. 11a is a top view of a protective sterile bag which
encapsulates a hand held control pad of the robotic arm
assembly;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the
end effector;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of an end
effector which has a worm gear that is operatively coupled to the
surgical instrument;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a
robotic system which incorporates the worm gear joint of FIG.
13;
FIG. 15 is a schematic of a surgical instrument that defines a
third coordinate system located within a fourth fixed coordinate
system;
FIG. 16 is a schematic of the surgical instrument being moved
relative to a pivot point;
FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the robotic arm assembly
mounted to a cart and a mounting assembly;
FIG. 18 is a front perspective view showing the robotic arm
assembly mounted to the mounting assembly;
FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a clamping assembly which clamps the
robotic arm assembly to an operating table;
FIG. 20 is a partially exploded view showing the robotic arm
assembly coupled to the mounting assembly;
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting plate attached to
the linear actuator of the robotic arm;
FIG. 22 is a side view showing the clamping mechanism in an open
position;
FIG. 23 is a side view showing the clamping mechanism in a closed
position;
FIG. 24 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the
clamping mechanism;
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a detent portion of a
handle;
FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the handle;
FIG. 27 is a front view of the alternate clamping mechanism;
FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 28--28 of FIG.
27.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers,
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a robotic system 10 of the present invention.
The system 10 is typically used in a sterile operating room where a
surgeon (not shown) performs a surgical procedure on a patient 12.
The patient 12 is placed on a operating table 14. Attached to the
table 14 is a robotic arm assembly 16 which can move a surgical
instrument 18 relative to the table 14 and the patient 12. The
surgical instrument 18 is typically an endoscope which is inserted
into the abdomen of the patient 12. The endoscope 18 enters the
patient through cannula, wherein the scope 18 rotate about a
cannula pivot point. The endoscope is typically connected to a
display screen (not shown) which allows the surgeon to view the
organs, etc. of the patient. Although an endoscope is described and
shown, it is to be understood that the present invention can be
used with other surgical instruments.
The system 10 has a computer 20 that is connected to the robotic
arm assembly 16 and a foot pedal 22. The foot pedal 22 is located
in close proximity to the operating table 14, so that the surgeon
can operate the foot pedal 22 while performing a surgical
procedure. The system 10 is constructed so that the surgeon can
move the surgical instrument 18 by merely depressing the foot pedal
22.
The robotic arm assembly 16 includes a linear actuator 24 fixed to
the table 14. The linear actuator 24 is connected to a linkage arm
assembly 26 and adapted to move the linkage assembly 26 along the z
axis of a first coordinate system. As shown in FIG. 2, the first
coordinate system also has an x axis and a y axis. The linear
actuator 24 preferably has an electric motor which turns a ball
screw that moves the output shaft of the actuator.
The linkage arm assembly 26 includes a first linkage arm 28
attached to a first rotary actuator 30 and an end effector 32. The
first rotary actuator 30 is adapted to rotate the first linkage arm
28 and end effector 32 in a plane perpendicular to the z axis (x-y
plane). The first rotary actuator 30 is connected to a second
rotary actuator 34 by a second linkage arm 36. The second actuator
34 is adapted to rotate the first actuator 30 in the x-y plane. The
second rotary actuator 34 is connected to a third rotary actuator
38 by a third linkage arm 40. The third rotary actuator 38 is
connected to the output shaft of the linear actuator 24 and adapted
to rotate the second rotary actuator 34 in the x-y plane. The
rotary actuators are preferably electric motors with output shafts
attached to the respective linkage arms. The actuators 30, 34 and
38 preferably have gear reduction boxes to increase the torque at
the linkage arms relative to the electric motors. The electric
motors of the actuators 24, 30, 34 and 38 rotate in response to
output signals provided by the computer 20.
As shown in FIG. 3, the end effector 32 has a clamp 42 which can
grasp and hold the endoscope 18. The clamp 42 may be constructed as
a wire with a loop that has a diameter smaller than the outside
diameter of the scope 18. The clamp 42 allows the scope to be
easily attached to and removed from the robotic arm assembly 16.
Although a simple wire clamp is shown and described, it is to be
understood that the end effector 32 may have any means required to
secure the surgical instrument 18. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
junction of the endoscope 18 and the end effector 32 define a
second coordinate system which has an x' axis, a y' axis and a z'
axis. The junction of the end effector 32 and endoscope 18 also
define the origin of a third coordinate system which has a x" axis,
a y" axis and a z" axis that is parallel with the longitudinal axis
of the endoscope 18.
The end effector 32 has a shaft 44 which can be coupled to the
first linkage arm 28. The first linkage arm 28 may have a bearing
which allows the end effector 32 to rotate about the longitudinal
axis of the arm 28. The end effector 32 may be constructed so that
the clamp 42 and scope 18 can rotate about the y' axis. The end
effector 32 is preferably constructed to be detached from the first
linkage arm 28, so that a sterile instrument can be used for each
surgical procedure. The robotic system 10 may also have a bag or
cover to encapsulate the robotic arm assembly 16 to keep the
assembly 16 sterile.
The actuators 24, 30, 34 and 38 may each have position sensors
46-52 that are connected to the computer 20. The sensors may be
potentiometers that can sense the rotational movement of the
electric motors and provide feedback signals to the computer 20.
The end effector 32 may also have a first joint position sensor 54
that senses the angular displacement of the effector about the x'
axis and a second joint position sensor 55 which senses the angular
displace of the scope about the y' axis.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a preferred embodiment of the foot pedal 22. The
foot pedal 22 has a housing 56 that supports a first foot switch 58
and a second foot switch 60. The first foot switch 58 has a first
pressure transducer 62 and a second pressure transducer 64. The
second foot switch 60 has third 66, fourth 68, fifth 70 and sixth
72 pressure transducers. The transducers are each connected to a
corresponding operational amplifier that provides a voltage input
to the computer 20. The pressure transducers 62-72 are constructed
so that the resistance of each transducer decreases as the surgeon
increases the pressure on the foot switches. Such a transducer is
sold by Interlink Electronics. The decreasing transducer resistance
increases the input voltage provided to the computer 20 from the
operational amplifier. Each transducer corresponds to a
predetermined direction in the third coordinate system. In the
preferred embodiment, the first pressure transducer 62 corresponds
to moving the endoscope toward the image viewed by the surgeon. The
second transducer 64 moves the scope away from the image. The third
66 and fourth 68 transducers move the scope 18 "up" and "down",
respectively, and the fifth 70 and sixth 72 transducers move the
scope 18 "left" and "right", respectively.
FIG. 6 shows a schematic of the computer 20. The computer 20 has a
multiplexer 74 which is connected to the pressure transducers and
the position sensors. In the preferred embodiment, the multiplexer
74 has 12 channels, one channel for each sensor and transducer. The
multiplexer 74 is connected to a single analog to digital (A/D)
converter 76.
The computer also has a processor 78 and memory 80. The A/D
converter 76 is constructed so that the converter can provide the
processor 78 with a binary string for each voltage level received
from the input signals of the system. By way of example, the
transducers may provide a voltage ranging between -10 to 10 volts
(V) and the converter 76 may output a different 12 bit binary
string for each voltage level. An input signal of 1.0 V may
correspond to the binary string 000011001010, 2.0 V may correspond
to 000111010100 and so forth and so on.
The processor 78 is connected to an address decoder 82 and four
separate digital to analog (D/A) converters 84. Each D/A converter
is connected to an actuator 26, 30, 34 or 38. The D/A converters 84
provide analog output signals to the actuators in response to
output signals received from the processor 78. The analog output
signals preferably have a sufficient voltage level to energize the
electric motors and move the robotic arm assembly. The D/A
converters 84 may be constructed so that a binary 1 from the
processor produces an analog output signal that drives the motors.
In such an embodiment, the motors are energized for as long as the
processor provides a binary 1 output signal. The decoder 82
correlates the addresses provided by the processor with a
corresponding D/A converter, so that the correct motor(s) is
driven. The address decoder 82 also provides an address for the
input data from the A/D converter so that the data is associated
with the correct input channel.
The processor 78 computes the movement of the robotic arm assembly
16 in accordance with the following equations. ##EQU1##
where;
a2=angle between the third linkage arm and the x axis.
a3=angle between the second linkage arm and the longitudinal axis
of the third linkage arm.
a4=angle between the first linkage arm and the longitudinal axis of
the second linkage arm.
L1=length of the third linkage arm.
L2=length of the second linkage arm.
L3=length of the first linkage arm.
.pi.=the angle between the first linkage arm and the x' axis of the
second coordinate system.
x=x coordinate of the end effector in the first coordinate
system.
y=y coordinate of the end effector in the first coordinate
system.
To move the end effector to a new location of the x-y plane the
processor 78 computes the change in angles a2, a3 and a4, and then
provides output signals to move the actuators accordingly. The
original angular position of the end effector is provided to the
processor 78 by the sensors 46-55. The processor moves the linkage
arms an angle that corresponds to the difference between the new
location and the original location of the end effector. A
differential angle .DELTA.a2 corresponds to the amount of angular
displacement provided by the third actuator 38, a differential
angle .DELTA.a3 corresponds to the amount of angular displacement
provided by the second actuator 34 and a differential angle
.DELTA.a4 corresponds to the amount of angular displacement
provided by the first actuator 30.
To improve the effectiveness of the system 10, the system is
constructed so that the movement of the surgical instrument as seen
by the surgeon, is always in the same direction as the movement of
the foot pedal. Thus when the surgeon presses the foot switch to
move the scope up, the scope always appears to move in the up
direction. To accomplish this result, the processor 78 converts the
desired movement of the end of the endoscope in the third
coordinate system to coordinates in the second coordinate system,
and then converts the coordinates of the second coordinate system
into the coordinates of the first coordinate system.
The desired movement of the endoscope is converted from the third
coordinate system to the second coordinate system by using the
following transformation matrix; ##EQU2##
where;
.DELTA.x"=the desired incremental movement of the scope along the
x" axis of the third coordinate system.
.DELTA.y"=the desired incremental movement of the scope along the
y" axis of the third coordinate system.
.DELTA.z"=the desired incremental movement of the scope along the
z" axis of the third coordinate system.
a5=the angle between the z' axis and the scope in the y'-z'
plane.
a6=the angle between the z' axis and the scope in the x'-z'
plane.
.DELTA.x'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
x' axis of the second coordinate system.
.DELTA.y'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
y' axis of the second coordinate system.
.DELTA.z'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
z' axis of the second coordinate system.
The angles a5 and a6 are provided by the first 54 and second 55
joint position sensors located on the end effector 32. The angles
a5 and a6 are shown in FIG. 7.
The desired movement of the endoscope is converted from the second
coordinate system to the first coordinate system by using the
following transformation matrix; ##EQU3##
where;
.DELTA.x'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
x' axis of the second coordinate system.
.DELTA.y'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
y' axis of the second coordinate system.
.DELTA.z'=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the
z' axis of the second coordinate system.
.PI.=is the angle between the first linkage arm and the x axis of
the first coordinate system.
.DELTA.x=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the x
axis of the first coordinate system.
.DELTA.y=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the y
axis of the first coordinate system.
.DELTA.z=the computed incremental movement of the scope along the z
axis of the first coordinate system.
The incremental movements .DELTA.x and .DELTA.y are inserted into
the algorithms (1) described above for computing the angular
movements (.DELTA.a2, .DELTA.a3 and .DELTA.a4) of the robotic arm
assembly to determine the amount of rotation that is to be provided
by each electric motor. The value .DELTA.z is used to determine the
amount of linear movement provided by the linear actuator 26.
After each movement of the endoscope a new .PI. value must be
computed to be used in the next incremental movement of the scope.
The scope is typically always in the y'-z' plane, therefore the
.PI. value only changes when the end effector is moved along the y'
axis. The new .PI. angle can be computed with the following
equations: ##EQU4## r=.vertline.d sin(a5).vertline. (4)
##EQU5##
where;
d=the length of the endoscope between the end effector and the
cannula pivot point.
r=the distance along the y' axis between the end effector and the
cannula pivot point.
m=the incremental movement of the scope.
The new .PI. value is computed and stored in the memory of the
computer for further computation.
FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a program used to operate the system.
The computer 20 initially computes the location of the end effector
32 with the input provided by the sensors 46-55. When the surgeon
presses on one of the foot switches, the pedal provides an input
signal to the computer. For example, the surgeon may want a closer
look at an object in front of the endoscope. The surgeon then
presses the top of the first foot switch, depressing the first
transducer and providing an input signal to the computer. The input
signal is converted into a 12 bit binary string which is received
by the processor. The 12 bit string corresponds to a predetermined
increment of .DELTA.z". The computer is constantly sampling the
foot pedal, wherein each sample corresponds to a predetermined
increment in the corresponding axis". If the surgeon holds down the
foot pedal during two sampling periods then the increment to be
moved is 2.times..DELTA.z". The converter also provides a
multiplication factor for each increase in voltage level received
from the amplifier of the transducer, so that the increments are
increased for each increase in voltage. Thus the surgeon can
increase the amount of incremental movement by increasing the
pressure on the foot switch.
The processor 78 then determines the new coordinates in the third
coordinate system. The incremental movements in the third
coordinate system (.DELTA.x", .DELTA.y" and .DELTA.z") are used to
compute the increment movements in the second coordinate system
(.DELTA.x', .DELTA.y' and .DELTA.z') and the coordinates in the
first coordinate system (.DELTA.x, .DELTA.y and .DELTA.z). The
incremental movements are then used to determine the change in the
angles a2, a3 and a4, and the linear movement of actuator 24. The
computer provides output signals to the appropriate electric motors
to move the robotic arm assembly to the new position. The new .PI.
angle is computed and the process is repeated. The present
invention thus allows the surgeon to remotely move a surgical
instrument in a manner that directly correlates with the viewing
image seen through the endoscope.
In the preferred embodiment, the system moves the end effector 32
so that the endoscope is always aligned in the same orientation
relative to the patient. This is accomplished by moving the end
effector so that the angle a6 is always equal to zero. Thus after
each independent movement of the endoscope, the angle a6 is sensed
by the sensor 55. If the angle a6 is not equal to zero, the
processor moves the end effector in accordance with the following
subroutine.
If a6>zero then the end effector is moved an increment equal
to:
If a6<zero then the end effector is moved an increment equal
to:
where;
.DELTA..pi.=the incremental angular movement of the end
effector.
.pi.=the preceding angle .pi..
constant=some predetermined incremental angular movement of the end
effector.
The processor moves the end effector in accordance with the above
described subroutine until the angle a6 is equal to zero. The new
.pi. angle is then stored and used for further computation.
Maintaining the angle a6 at zero insures that the view seen by the
surgeon is in the same orientation for all end effector
positions.
As shown in FIG. 10, each linkage arm 28, 36 or 80 is preferably
coupled to a first helical gear 92. The first helical gear 92 is
mated with a second helical gear 94 that is coupled to an actuator
30, 34 or 38 by a clutch 96. The clutches 96 are preferably
constructed from magnetic plates that are coupled together when
power is supplied to the clutches. When power is terminated, the
clutches 96 are disengaged and the actuators are decoupled from the
drive shafts such that the linkage arms can be manually moved by
the operator. Power is supplied to the clutches 96 through a switch
98 which can be operated by the surgeon. The clutches allow the
surgeon to disengage the actuators and manually move the position
of the endoscope.
As shown in FIG. 6, the system may have a lever actuated input
device 100 that is commonly referred to as a "joystick". The input
device 100 can be used in the same manner as the foot pedal,
wherein the operator can move the endoscope by moving the lever 102
of the device 100. The device 100 may also have a plurality of
memory buttons 104 that can be manipulated by the operator. The
memory buttons 104 are coupled to the processor of the computer.
The memory buttons 104 include save buttons 106 and recall buttons
108. When the save button 106 is depressed, the coordinates of the
end effector in the first coordinate system are saved in a
dedicated address(es) of the computer memory. When a recall button
108 is pushed, the processor retrieves the data stored in memory
and moves the end effector to the coordinates of the effector when
the save button was pushed.
The save memory buttons allow the operator to store the coordinates
of the end effector in a first position, move the end effector to a
second position and then return to the first position with the push
of a button. By way of example, the surgeon may take a wide eye
view of the patient from a predetermined location and store the
coordinates of that location in memory. Subsequently, the surgeon
may manipulate the endoscope to enter cavities, etc. which provide
a more narrow view. The surgeon can rapidly move back to the wide
eye view by merely depressing the recall button of the system.
Additionally, the last position of the endoscope before the
depression of the recall button can be stored so that the surgeon
can again return to this position.
As shown in FIG. 9, the system is preferably moved during the
recall cycle in a ramping fashion so that there is not any sudden
movement of the linkage arm assembly. Instead of a purely linear
movement of the actuators to move the end effector from point A to
point B, the processor would preferably move the linkage arm
assembly in accordance with the following equation.
where;
t=time
.theta..sub.0 =the initial position of the end effector.
.theta..sub.1 =the final position of the end effector.
.theta..sub.0 =the velocity of the end effector at position
.theta..sub.0.
.theta..sub.1 =the velocity of the end effector at position
.theta..sub.1.
By moving each actuator in accordance with the above described
algorithm, the linkage arm assembly movement will gradually
increase and then gradually decrease as the arm leaves and
approaches the original and final positions, respectively. Moving
the arm in accordance with the above described equation produces
low initial and final arm acceleration values. The gradually
increasing and decreasing movement of the arm prevents any abrupt
or sudden movement of the arm assembly.
As shown in FIG. 11, the robotic arm assembly is preferably
encapsulated by a bag 110. The bag 110 isolates the arm assembly 26
so that the arm does not contaminate the sterile field of the
operating room. The bag 110 can be constructed from any material
suitable to maintain the sterility of the room. The bag 110 may
have fastening means such as a hook and loop material or a zipper
which allows the bag to be periodically removed and replaced after
each operating procedure.
As shown in FIG. 11a, the assembly may have a hand held control
device 112 which has buttons 114 that allow the surgeon to control
the movement of the end effector in the same manner as the foot
pedal described and shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The control device 112
is also encapsulated by a protective bag 116. The bag 116 is
preferably constructed from a material which is both transparent
and flexible enough to allow the surgeon to depress the buttons
114. In the preferred embodiment, the bag 116 is constructed from a
0.002 inch polyethylene. The protective bag 116 may have various
fastening means to allow the bag 116 to be removed and replaced
after each surgical procedure. The application of the bags 110 and
116 allow the assembly to be reused without any scrubbing or
sterilization of the equipment.
FIG. 12 shows an alternate embodiment of an end effector 120. The
end effector 120 has a magnet 122 which holds a metal collar 124
that is coupled to the endoscope 18. The collar 124 has a center
aperture 126 which receives the endoscope 18 and a pair of arms 128
which together with screw 130 capture the scope 18. The collar 124
is constructed to fit within a channel 132 located in the end
effector 120. The magnet 122 is typically strong enough to hold the
endoscope during movement of the linkage arm, yet weak enough to
allow the operator to pull the collar and scope away from the end
effector.
FIG. 13 shows a preferred embodiment of an end effector 140 that
couples the surgical instrument 142 to a robotic system 144. The
end effector 140 has a collar holder 146 which can capture a collar
148 that is attached to the instrument 142. The collar 148 has a
lip 150 which is supported by the base of the collar holder 146
when the instrument 142 is coupled to the robotic assembly 144. The
collar 148 has a bearing 152 that is fastened to the instrument 142
and which has gear teeth 153 that mesh with a worm gear 154
incorporated into the end effector 140. The worm gear 154 is
typically connected to an electric motor (not shown) which can
rotate the gear 154 and spin the instrument 142 about its
longitudinal axis.
The end effector 140 is preferably utilized in a robotic system
schematically shown in FIG. 14. The worm gear replaces the first
actuator 30 of the robotic system shown in FIG. 1. The passive
joints 156 and 158 allow the same degrees of freedom provided by
the passive joints depicted in FIG. 3. The joints 156 and 158 are
shown separately for purposes of clarity, it being understood that
the joints may be physically located within the end effector
140.
The surgical instrument is typically coupled to a camera (not
shown) and a viewing screen (not shown) such that any spinning of
the instrument about its own longitudinal axis will result in a
corresponding rotation of the image on the viewing screen. Rotation
of the instrument and viewing image may disorient the viewer. It is
therefore desirable to maintain the orientation of the viewing
image.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the robotic assembly moves the
instrument in accordance with a set of algorithms that maintain the
angle a6 at a value of zero. This is accomplished by computing a
new angle a6 after each movement and then moving the instrument so
that a6 is equal to zero. Depending upon the location of the end
effector, moving the instrument to zero a6 may require energizing
some or all of the actuators, thus necessitating the computation of
the angles a2, a3 and a4. Using the worm gear 154 of the end
effector 140, the proper orientation of the viewing image can be
maintained by merely rotating the worm gear 154 and scope 142 a
calculated angle about the longitudinal axis of the instrument
142.
As shown in FIG. 15, the endoscope 142 is oriented within a fixed
fourth coordinate system that has a z axis that is parallel with
the z axis of the first coordinate system shown in FIG. 1. The
origin of the fourth coordinate system is the intersection of the
instrument and the end effector. For purposes of providing
reference points, the instrument is initially in a first position
and moved to a second position. The endoscope 142 itself defines
the third coordinate system, wherein the z" axis coincides with the
longitudinal axis of the instrument 142. To insure proper
orientation of the endoscope 142, the worm gear 154 rotates the
instrument 142 about its longitudinal axis an amount
.DELTA..theta.6 to insure that the y" axis is oriented in the most
vertical direction within the fixed coordinate system.
.DELTA..theta.6 is computed from the following cross-products.
.DELTA..theta.6=zi".times.(yo".times.yi")
where;
.DELTA..theta.6=the angle that the instrument is to be rotated
about the z" axis.
yo"=is the vector orientation of the y" axis when the instrument is
in the first position.
yi"=is the vector orientation of the y" axis when the instrument is
in the second position.
zi"=is the vector orientation of the z" axis when the instrument is
in the second position.
The vectors of the yi" and zi" axis are computed with the following
algorithms. ##EQU6## xi"=z.times.zi"
where;
.THETA.4=is the angle between the instrument and the z axis in the
y-z plane.
.THETA.5=is the angle between the instrument and the z axis in the
x-z plane.
z=is the unit vector of the z axis in the first coordinate
system.
The angles .THETA.4 and .THETA.5 are provided by the joint position
sensors coupled to the joints 156 and 158. The vector yo" is
computed using the angles .THETA.4 and .THETA.5 of the instrument
in the original or first position. For the computation of yi" the
angles .THETA.4 and .THETA.5 of the second position are used in the
transformation matrix. After each arm movement yo" is set to yi"
and a new yi" vector and corresponding .DELTA..theta.6 angle are
computed and used to re-orient the endoscope. Using the above
described algorithms, the worm gear continuously rotates the
instrument about its longitudinal axis to insure that the pivotal
movement of the endoscope does not cause a corresponding rotation
of the viewing image.
When the surgical instrument is initially inserted into the patient
the exact location of the pivot point of the instrument is unknown.
It is desirable to compute the pivot point to determine the amount
of robotic movement required to move the lens portion of the scope.
Accurate movement of the end effector and the opposite lens portion
of the instrument can be provided by knowing the pivot point and
the distance between the pivot point and the end effector. The
pivot point location can also be used to insure that the base of
the instrument is not pushed into the patient, and to prevent the
instrument from being pulled out of the patient.
The pivot point of the instrument is calculated by initially
determining the original position of the intersection of the end
effector and the instrument PO, and the unit vector Uo which has
the same orientation as the instrument. The position P(x, y, z)
values can be derived from the various position sensors of the
robotic assembly described above. The unit vector Uo is computed by
the transformation matrix: ##EQU7##
After each movement of the end effector an angular movement of the
instrument .DELTA..theta. is computed by taking the arcsin of the
cross-product of the first and second unit vectors Uo and U1 of the
instrument in accordance with the following line equations Lo and
L1.
.DELTA..theta.=arcsin(.vertline.T.vertline.)
where;
T=a vector which is a cross-product of unit vectors Uo and U1.
The unit vector of the new instrument position U1 is again
determined using the positions sensors and the transformation
matrix described above. If the angle .DELTA..theta. is greater than
a threshold value, then a new pivot point is calculated and Uo is
set to U1. As shown in FIG. 16, the first and second instrument
orientations can be defined by the line equations Lo and L1:
Lo:
L1:
where;
Zo=a Z coordinate along the line Lo relative to the z axis of the
first coordinate system.
Z1=a Z coordinate along the line L1 relative to the z axis of the
first coordinate system.
Mxo=a slope of the line Lo as a function of Zo.
Myo=a slope of the line Lo as a function of Zo.
Mx1=a slope of the line L1 as a function of Z1.
My1=a slope of the line L1 as a function of Z1.
Cxo=a constant which represents the intersection of the line Lo and
the x axis of the first coordinate system.
Cyo=a constant which represents the intersection of the line Lo and
the y axis of the first coordinate system.
Cx1=a constant which represents the intersection of the L1 and the
x axis of the first coordinate system.
Cy1=a constant which represents the intersection of the line L1 and
the y axis of the first coordinate system.
The slopes are computed using the following algorithms:
Cx0=Pox-Mx1.multidot.Poz
where;
Uo(x, y and z)=the unit vectors of the instrument in the first
position within the first coordinate system.
U1(x, y and z)=the unit vectors of the instrument in the second
position within the first coordinate system.
Po(x, y and z)=the coordinates of the intersection of the end
effector and the instrument in the first position within the first
coordinate system.
P1(x, y and z)=the coordinates of the intersection of the end
effector and the instrument in the second position within the first
coordinate system.
To find an approximate pivot point location, the pivot points of
the instrument in the first orientation Lo (pivot point Ro) and in
the second orientation L1 (pivot point R1) are determined, and the
distance half way between the two points Ro and R1 is computed and
stored as the pivot point R.sub.ave of the instrument. The pivot
point R.sub.ave is determined by using the cross-product vector
T.
To find the points Ro and R1 the following equalities are set to
define a line with the same orientation as the vector T that passes
through both Lo and L1.
where;
tx=the slope of a line defined by vector T relative to the Z-x
plane of the first coordinate system.
ty=the slope of a line defined by vector T relative to the Z-y
plane of the first coordinate system.
Tx=the x component of the vector T.
Ty=the y component of the vector T.
Tz=the z component of the vector T.
Picking two points to determine the slopes Tx, Ty and Tz (eg.
Tx=x1-xo, Ty=y1-yo and Tz=z1-zO) and substituting the line
equations Lo and L1, provides a solution for the point coordinates
for Ro (xo, yo, zo) and R1 (x1, y1, z1) as follows.
zo=((Mx1-tx)z1+Cx1-Cxo)/(Mxo-tx)
The average distance between the pivot points Ro and R1 is computed
with the following equation and stored as the pivot point of the
instrument.
The pivot point can be continually updated with the above described
algorithm routine. Any movement of the pivot point can be compared
to a threshold value and a warning signal can be issued or the
robotic system can become disengaged if the pivot point moves
beyond a set limit. The comparison with a set limit may be useful
in determining whether the patient is being moved, or the
instrument is being manipulated outside of the patient, situations
which may result in injury to the patient or the occupants of the
operating room.
FIGS. 17 and 18 show the linear actuator 24 of the robotic arm
assembly 16 coupled to a cart 200. The cart 200 may have shelves
(not shown) which store the computer of the system. The cart 200
has wheels 202 that allow the operator to move the assembly to and
from an operating table 204. The robotic assembly 16 is attached to
the operating table 204 by a mounting assembly 206. The mounting
assembly 206 includes a mounting plate 208 which has a pair of L
shaped rigid clamp portions 210 and a pair of pivot clamps 212 that
are pivotally connected to the plate 208. Conventional operating
tables 204 have hand rails 214 that extend from the sides of the
bed 204. The clamps 212 are adapted to grasp the hand rails 214 and
mount the robotic assembly 206 to the table 204.
FIGS. 19-23 show a preferred embodiment of the mounting assembly
206. Each pivot clamp 212 is coupled to the mounting plate 208 by a
pivot pin 216. The pivot clamps 212 are biased into a closed
position by a clamp spring 218 that is secured at each end by
spring pins 220 which extend into the mounting plate 208.
The mounting assembly 206 has screws 222 which extend through the
mounting plate 208. At one end of each screw 222 is a knob 224 that
allows the operator to rotate the screw 222. At the opposite end of
each screw 222 is a threaded head 226 which cooperates with a
threaded aperture 227 within the plate 208. The mounting plate 208
has a back plate 260 attached to a front plate 262 by a dowel pin
264 and a screw 266. As shown in FIG. 23, the end of the head 226
engages and applies a pressure to the hand rail 214 to further
secure the robotic assembly 16 to the table 204.
Each screw 222 has a cam surface 228 which engages a pin 230
located within the mounting plate 208. The pin 230 also engages the
pivot clamp 212. When the screw 222 is moved away from the hand
rail 214, the cam surface 228 pushes the pin 230 in a downward
direction as shown in FIG. 22. The downward movement of the pin 230
rotates the pivot clamp 212 in a counterclockwise direction away
from the hand rail 214, disengaging the mounting assembly 206 from
the table 204. When the screw 222 is screwed back toward the hand
rail 214, the spring 218 rotates the clamp 212 back into engagement
with the rail 214. The movement of the screw 222, moves the cam
surface 228 and allows the pin 230 to move in an upward
direction.
Referring to FIG. 17, the cart 200 has a pair of flange plates 234
located at each side of the linear actuator 24. Each flange plate
234 has a pair of ears 236 separated by a slot 238. As shown in
FIG. 22, the clamping mechanism 206 has a cart clamp 240. The cart
clamp 240 has a bore 242 that allows the screw 222 to extend
therethrough. The cart clamp 240 also has a shoulder 244 with an
outer diameter larger than the width of the flange slot 238. Moving
the screws away from the hand rail 214 presses the cart clamps 240
into the flange plates 234 and secures the mounting plate 208 and
robotic assembly 16 to the cart 200. When the screws 222 are
screwed toward the hand rail 214, the cart clamps 240 are released
from the flange plates 238 and the mounting plate 208 is allowed to
move relative to the cart 200. The clamping mechanism 206 may
include a spring 245 that biases the clamp 240 away from the flange
234. Detaching the mounting plate 208 from the cart 220 when the
pivot clamp 212 is grasping the hand rail 214, allows the plate 208
to float and compensating for any lack of colinearity between the
table 204 and the cart 200.
FIGS. 20 and 21 show the linear actuator 24 coupled to the mounting
plate 208. The assembly includes a screw 246 that has a threaded
shaft 247 which extends through an arcuate shaped slot 248 in the
mounting plate 208 and screws into a threaded aperture 249 in the
linear actuator 24. The mount screw 246 that may have a shoulder
250 or a washer (not shown) which is pressed against the mounting
plate 208. The actuator 24 is attached to the mounting plate 208 by
a wavy spring 252 that is captured by a lid 254 and a plurality of
screws 256 that are inserted in on opening 258 of the mounting
plate 208. The operator can rotate the robotic assembly 16 relative
to the operating table by unscrewing the screw 246 and moving the
actuator 24 and threaded shaft 247 along the arcuate shaped slot
248 of the mounting plate 208. Rotation of the robotic assembly
allows the operator to move and properly align the arm of the
system.
In operation, the cart 200 is wheeled up to the table 204 such that
the top L shaped clamp portions 210 of the mounting assembly 206
grab the hand rail 214. As shown in FIG. 23, the screws 222 are
screwed further into the mounting plate 208 to allow the springs
218 to pull the pivot clamps 212 into engagement with the hand rail
214. The movement of the screw 222 also releases the mounting plate
208 from the cart 200. The orientation of the robotic assembly 16
can be varied by unscrewing the mount screw 246 and moving the
linear actuator 24 along the arcuate slot of the mounting plate
208, and then tightening the screw 246.
As shown in FIG. 22, after the surgical procedure, the screws 222
can be screwed away from the table 204, so that the pivot clamps
212 rotate away from the hand rail 214 and the cart clamps 240
become secured to the cart 200. The cart 200 can then be wheeled
away for future use. The mounting assembly and cart of the present
invention provide mobility for the robotic assembly and allow the
system to be easily stored and transported to various surgical
fields.
FIGS. 24-28 show an alternate embodiment of the clamping mechanism.
The mechanism includes a handle 280 that is attached to the clamp
pin 216. Rotation of the handle 280 rotates the pivot clamp 212.
This embodiment does not use the pin 230, spring 218 and screw cam
surface 228 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17-23 to move the
pivot claims 212. The pin 216 is coupled to a torsion spring 282
that is captured by grooves 284 and 286 in the mounting plate 208
and handle 280, respectively. The torsion spring 282 biases the
pivot clamp 212 into engagement with the handle rail 214. The
handle 280 has a ball detent screw 288 that is pressed into a
detent hold 290 in the mounting plate 208, to maintain the handle
280 in an open position. Alternatively, both the mounting plate 208
and handle 260 may have attractive magnets (not shown) which
maintain the pivot clamp 212 in a position away from the hand rail
214. To clamp the mounting plate 208 to the hand rail 214, the
operator pushes the handle 280 until the ball detent screw 288 is
separated from the mounting plate 208 and the spring 282 snaps the
pivot clamp 212 onto the rail 214. The pivot clamp 212 is
disengaged by manually rotating the handle 280 to the open position
and resetting the ball detent screw 288 into the detent hole
290.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown
in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such
embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the
broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the
specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since
various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled
in the art.
* * * * *